Texans lineman Smith reaching out on Thanksgiving

Texans lineman Wade Smith enjoys interacting with fans at events like the Back to Football Care-A-Van in July.

Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff

It took Wade Smith five years to figure it out.

NFL seasons come in waves, often uncontrollable and rarely predictable. NFL careers are the same, with hope and expectation seldom linking up, instead regularly landing where chance and circumstance collide.

For four years, Smith was just another player. Then a journey that began in Miami and briefly touched down in New York with the Jets found the Dallas native in Kansas City. There, the 6-4, 300-pound guard watched Brian Waters - an older, wiser Chiefs teammate and fellow lineman - continually give back to those in need and reach out to a community that was consistently lifted up by the power of football.

The Chiefs' record and place in the standings rose and fell. Waters' devotion to his environment went unchanged, with a steady stream of selfless offerings peaking during the holiday season.

"He was the first guy I was around who understood what it really meant to be an NFL player," Smith said. "He always gave, and he never stopped giving."

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About the event

What: Gobble Game football and fellowship event, hosted by Wade Smith.

Five years after learning from Waters, Smith has become one of the Texans' biggest givers. He'll host his second annual Gobble Game on Thursday, joining with hip-hop artist Bun B in an effort to provide a Thanksgiving meal and toiletries to at least 1,000 in-need Houstonians. The 11:30 a.m. Green Bay-Detroit game will be televised, while the 10-year veteran will continue to spread the reach of his Wade Smith Foundation.

"There are a lot of people out there who need help," Smith said. "This is our way to help out and give back on such a big day."

Second-year lineman Ben Jones has begun to learn from Smith's wisdom. Despite having a family and personal commitments throughout the season, Smith champions owner Bob McNair's ongoing effort to make a charitable impact in the Houston community. The outward focus has drawn Jones' attention during a highly disappointing Texans season.

Smith can have only minimal impact on his team's 2-9 record and franchise-record nine-game losing streak. But he has full control over his connection with those around him, especially people in need.

"Wade's a guy you can always look up to. I know as a rookie last year, he was a guy I watched closely and followed his footsteps as much as I could," Jones said. "On and off the field, he's a guy that you can always lean (on). … Every Tuesday, he's always doing something, and it just speaks highly of what he stands for and how much he cares about other people."

Smith has long counted himself lucky on Thanksgiving. He grew up in a strong family, and the holiday was regularly devoted to food, friends and football.

One thing has changed, though. As a child, Smith was a Dallas kid living in a Cowboys-devoted family. With Texas' other pro football team annually playing on Thanksgiving, he was forced to watch in isolation as a non-fan.

Thursday, Smith will be a Texan waiting for the Patriots to arrive. All he has to do is give back in Houston while the team he still hates spends Thanksgiving on TV.

"I've never been a Cowboys fan," Smith said. "And that's not going to change."

Brian T. Smith is a sports columnist for the Houston Chronicle. He was a Houston Texans beat writer from 2013-15 and an Astros beat writer from 2012-13. The New Orleans-area native previously covered the NBA's Utah Jazz (The Salt Lake Tribune) and Portland Trail Blazers (The Columbian), among other beats. He loves music, books, movies, history, nature, coffee and steak.

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